Athletics

James and I had a couple of fun days in Brunswick, Maine teaching the PRI Affiliate Course for Fitness and Movement. The New England region is a hot area for PRI. Thank you to the wonderful team at Costal Ortho for hosting! It was a perfect host site that allowed us plenty of lab space to explore dimensions of breathing and various movement patterns. We had an awesome group and great mix of intellectual minds from personal trainers, strength coaches, athletic trainers, physical therapists, yoga instructors, chiropractors, RN, osteopathic physicians, and structural integration specialists. It was a full course! I love having a diverse audience and truly believe that PRI can be a uniting framework that helps us better integrate, coach, and lead more people to better movement. This course has application for all. Hear from 3 course attendees! Thank you to Noah, Jonathan, and Cheryl for typing up a few words to share with you all!

“PRI is very much the basis of my practice, both as a physical therapist and a fitness professional. I have attended all the primary (some more than once), as well as the majority of the secondary course work, but PRI for Fitness and Movement still offered a bucket of pearls for me to mull over and apply. The course manuals alone are fantastic, as it is clear both James and Julie have taken great pains to effectively organize and simplify some very complex science and concepts. I truly cannot more highly recommend it; both to seasoned and certified PRI practitioners looking to move beyond rehabilitation, as well as individuals who are looking to have a streamlined introduction to PRI in general. This is quite likely the ideal introductory course for the very depth a broad science that is PRI.” - Noah Harrison, DPT, Portland Integrative Physical Therapy, LLC

“After 25 years as a personal trainer, James and Julie have delivered the most functionally complete and detailed oriented lecture I have ever experienced. Their PRI Fitness and Movement class is easily digestible due to the presentation style yet filled with cutting edge science, health, and biomechanically effective protocols. This course is a must attend if you’re a fitness professional who not only wants the best for your clients health and wellness, but also wants to obtain the tools and science unmatched by typical continuing education practices. Thank you both for sharing your passion that will help improve our clients wellness one breath at a time”. - Jonathan Allen CPT, Back Cove Personal Fitness and Fitwell, Portland,ME

“This Fitness Course is a fabulous encapsulation of PRI principles with MOVEMENT. As a newly certified PRC, I really appreciate the way Julie and James are able to back up and take a big picture approach making the main concepts of 3 primary courses easier to understand and apply to movement in a nonclinical approach. The manual is an excellent tool for me to use with my coworkers and other movement professionals who do not have a PRI background, giving me a way to communicate more effectively about the importance of respecting the asymmetric human design during movement with BREATHING. I found a new appreciation for aligning my ribcage and my pelvis. Thank you!” - Cheryl Chase PT PRC, Pen Bay Medical Center, Rockport ME

I hope to be able to visit Maine again, it was beautiful…. and the lobster was yummy too! Thanks again to the #PRInation up in the New England region! Next course for PRI Fitness and Movement is another international destination, Sydney Australia!!! June 22-23 we are excited to teach at Fitwell Plus in Sydney, NSW. PRI Australia... sign up today! There are still some slots available! Get registered and please help spread the word!

We were excited to see a newly published article this past week titled "Effects of Two Different Recovery Postures during High-Intensity Interval Training". This study was performed at Western Washington University, and includes PRC therapist Wren McLaughlin as one of the authors. While on faculty at Western Washington University, Wren was instrumental in sharing some PRI concepts with her colleagues and students. This study examined the effects of two different recovery postures, hands on head (HH) and hands on knees (HK) as a form of immediate recovery from high-intensity interval training. The researchers wanted to explore the effects of maximizing a diaphragmatic zone of apposition (ZOA) through a flexed spinal posture (hands on knees) rather than an extended posture (hands on head), during recovery breathing.

The results of their study indicated that the hands on knee posture significantly improved HR recovery, tidal volume, and carbon dioxide elimination in comparison with the hands on head posture. Thank you Joana, Lorrie, David, Wren and Dylan for your work on this study, and for publishing these results for the world to see. You have provided such valuable data that will hopefully result in a new recovery position (and a deeper understanding of its benefits) for clinicians, coaches, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, personal trainers, and athletes around the world!

Mizzou Therapy Services located at the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute hosted it's first PRI course, Postural Respiration, this past weekend in a beautiful state-of-the-art facility. What made this weekend significant was that nearly two thirds of the attendees were from Mizzou Therapy Services or new to PRI. This holds the promise of a great opportunity for these therapists to collaborate, practice and potentially master the manual and non-manual PRI techniques taught this weekend.

This is the first time this instructor has taught a course with so many participants from the same facility and the energy and enthusiasm from these talented therapists was inspirational! Since most of the class was new to PRI and attending their first course, PRI principles were broken down in detail to provide a solid foundation to a brand new paradigm. Many of the therapists immediately saw the value of Postural Respiration with working with their COPD patients, athletes from the University of Missouri as well as geriatric populations.

Postural Respiration has been updated and revised just this year and Posterior Mediastinum could be another name for this course. Patterns, position and posture of the diaphragm affecting every vital system in the body were defined and explored this weekend. Columbia, MO is a great college town and has tradition at their sports games from their fans. On one side of a group of fans they will shout " M-I-Z" followed by the other group answering "Z-O-U!" for MIZZOU! This weekend the therapists at Mizzou Therapy Services have a new chant which is "M-I-Z" ---"Z-O-A!" for the new awareness of "Zone of Apposition" as described in Postural Respiration!

Many thanks to Joe Pope, PT, PRC for driving in from Eldon, MO to assist. His expertise and skill at describing and expanding on PRI principles and his lab assistance was invaluable. Joe is thoughtful and articulate with his responses and patience. Thank you to all of the staff at MTS including Lindsey, Laura, Mackinzie, Barbie, Katie and all others that helped to organize and clean up at the end of the day. Your energy and assistance with providing such a great facility was much appreciated.

We got to kick off the first course for PRI in 2019 at the University of Arizona in Tucson! Special thanks to Ben Crawford and the Sports Medicine Team for hosting! Amazing facilities and amenities and this was a perfect site to kick of the year. I have confidence the PRI minds are going to be growing after this course as we had a very engaged group. I’m excited to hear how they will be growing and using the material over the next year!

The PRI Fitness and Movement Course is an advanced 2 day course geared to address the integration of dynamic thoracic posture and axial frame asymmetry. It’s a principles based course to empower fitness and performance patterns through respiration and alternating reciprocal activity. Our manual is full of exercises to get clients moving and optimizing dynamic postural relationships, so that their workouts can help them better adapt in a stressed, technology driven, and progressively changing world.

There is so much intangible value of understanding the empowering benefits of how to coach and train a diaphragm and pelvic/hip complex to work together. This knowledge is foundational for all fitness and movement professionals, including Personal Trainers, Strength and Conditioning Coaches, Athletic Trainers, and Physical Therapists. I’m excited to be entering into our 3rd year of teaching this course. This year we have some new focuses on screening and programming. Some of the “exercises” taught in this course can be used as screening techniques and/or as training techniques. A true test to an athletic body in balance is when clients can move in and out of a good diaphragmatic position and “feel” the correct family of muscles working… automatically… without excessive effort. Can the right things work together? Can relationships stay intact?

Lastly, it wouldn’t be a complete trip to Tucson, without a stop at one of James Anderson’s favorite restaurants Café Poca Cosa. Classy, delightful experience and such a yummy surprise plate of food. I have no clue what I ate, but it was good and I hope to return one day!

Want to progress your PRI understanding or get introduced to the science of Postural Restoration? Then this is a great course for you! Hope to see you at one of our courses this year! Next month, we will be teaching at a private host site, then off to Brunswick, Maine - Syndey Australia - Boston, Massachusetts - Dublin, Ohio - and then Fort Collins, Colorado. Visit the PRI Affiliate Course section for more details.

We are excited to introduce and congratulate our Postural Restoration Trained (PRT) Class of 2019! PRT is the result of completing multiple advanced PRI courses, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the science through completion of the PRT application, and successfully participating in practical and analytical testing. This past weekend, four professionals earned the designation of Postural Restoration Trained (PRT) under the direction of Ron Hruska, Neil Rampe and Jennifer Platt.

The Postural Restoration Institute® established this credentialing process in 2011 as a way to recognize and identify individuals with advanced training, extraordinary interest and devotion to the science of postural adaptations, asymmetrical patterns and the influence of polyarticular chains of muscles on the human body as defined by the Postural Restoration Institute®. The PRT credential is available to Certified Athletic Trainers, Certified Athletic Therapists, Exercise Physiologists and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists who have completed the course requirements, application and testing process. With the addition of this class, there are now 54 PRT professionals throughout the U.S and Internationally.

PRT credentialed athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches and exercise physiologists offer a unique approach to physical medicine and fitness called Postural Restoration®. This approach addresses underlying biomechanics which can often lead to symptoms of pain and dysfunction. All mechanical influences on the body that restrict movement and contribute to improper joint and muscle position are considered, examined, and assessed. Techniques are utilized to restore proper alignment of the body while proper respiratory dynamics are considered. Management encompasses prevention and lifetime integration for long-term successful outcomes.

In the fall of 2017, Jen was contacted by Jessica Tidswell, PT, ATC, SCS, PRT, assistant professor for the Physical Therapy and Athletic Training programs at the University of Utah. We have requests for information, providers, course questions and many other inquires on a daily basis, but the request Jess had was different. She has the pleasure of working closely with the graduate athletic training students, and instructs several graduate courses while remaining clinically active through the University. She typically offers an Independent study as part of this course work and had a strong desire to somehow include PRI concepts as part of her 2017 fall semester. Jess has taken several PRI courses including all three primary courses as home studies, and after her conversation with Jen it was determined that our home study would be the perfect fit. Jess decided to focus the entire semester’s independent study on Pelvis Restoration. We were thrilled to have our course be the focus of a graduate level review and after a few more conversations with Jess, we had them up and running. Not only was this the first time the Home Study was used in this way, but she later decided to follow-up the fall semester this spring with the Myokinematic Restoration course for another semester long independent study. Jess is a pioneer in more ways than one. Receiving a Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2002, Jess was clinically active for several years before deciding something was missing. Her background and passion in Exercise Science and Athletic Training led her to return to school, as a student, seeking her second Bachelor’s degree in Athletic training. Jess recently completed her PRT credentialing and is the first DPT, ATC to be credentialed in our Postural Restoration Trained™ (PRT) credentialing program. Highlights from several of the students who were a part of this Independent study can be read below, and an interview of PRT Jessica Tidswell can be read HERE.

Thank you to Jess, and the students from the University of Utah, who continue to seek a better understanding of our science, and make these semester reviews a success. If any educators are interested in setting up similar Independent Study courses, please feel free to contact me!

Student Reviews:

Upon signing up for this semester-long independent study Pelvis Restoration home study course, how much knowledge of Postural Restoration® did you have if any? If this was your first exposure to the science, what stood out the most to you about this novel way of looking at human asymmetry?

“This was my first exposure to Postural Restoration, and being able to look at postural muscles in a different way and how they affect the innominate bones changed the way I treat my athletes and improved my outcomes.” - Bryan Erspamer, ATC

“Prior to signing up for the independent study, I had previously taken the in-person postural respiration course. I was first exposed to PRI from an athletic trainer and mentor during my first job after graduating from undergrad. It immediately peaked my interests due to its holistic view of the human body. The concepts described by the institute on how our inherent asymmetries relate to dysfunction were initially hard to grasp as a young clinician. However, the more I asked questions and critically applied the science, the more that I knew this was going to be an essential part of my career. Initially, much of my treatment focus was on the location of the injury itself. The Postural Restoration Institute provided the big picture and not only altered how I care for my patients, but also totally revamped the way I view human anatomy.” - Chris Michaels, LAT, ATC

“The semester-long independent study of Pelvis Restoration was the first time I had been introduced to PRI. I appreciated how the PRI approach has a strong focus on the kinetic chain bilaterally. PRI showed a unique perspective to optimize total body function by addressing the inhibition and facilitation needs on each side of the body individually.” - Julia Villani, ATC

As you got closer to the end of the semester did the course material challenge your thinking, or way of looking at certain injuries or dysfunction, that you encounter as an Athletic Trainer? What are some of the ways that you plan on implementing this material, or how do you see this material being utilized in your setting in the future.

“PRI changed the way I treated my athletes, I went from using a lot of muscle energy techniques for short term relief, to putting athletes on PRI programs to actually resolve the underlying issues. Working with hockey players, I see a lot of chronic hip and low back pain. Due to the mechanics of skating hockey players are prone to being in a PEC pattern, so I see myself using PRI on a broader scale in the future, implementing these techniques team wide.” - Bryan Erspamer, ATC

“The course material throughout the semester was both challenging and eye opening. Learning about the intricacies of pelvic motion, how pelvic position relates to asymmetry and dysfunction, and how I can use the Postural Restoration® science to make a long term impact on my patients was career altering. I work with college softball players and often times they complain of shoulder pain, but after taking a more extensive history, I learn that they also suffer from chronic low back and/or knee pain. While doing exercises on the lower extremity as part of an upper extremity rehabilitation program can often seem strange to my athletes, after taking the pelvis course, I know that this approach is essential for long term, total body health. In the future, I hope to implement PRI as a part of my pre-participation physical examinations to screen my athletes and get them started on a Postural Restoration® program prior to competition.” - Chris Michaels, LAT, ATC

“Absolutely, my view of overuse injuries and dysfunctional movement has changed. Now, I not only address the chief compliant but I take a much more detailed look at the pelvis and how it may be influencing the issue. I plan on incorporating PRI techniques in most of, if not all of my overuse injuries and dysfunctional movements. I have yet to find an athlete that would not benefit from some level of PRI exercise.” - Julia Villani, ATC

Overall would you recommend an independent study PRI home study course to other graduate students? How did your view of the science of Postural Restoration® change from the beginning of the semester, once you had completed the course? (Any additional feedback or comments are welcomed below)

“I would absolutely recommend a directed independent study focused on PRI to any graduate level AT. I feel that this was the best way to be introduced to PRI as we had Jess directing us and always willing to answer any questions we might have had. The environment also allowed us to work together as graduate students and better understand the language, the science, and the implementation of PRI. As the semester progressed and I got more of a grasp on the concepts and science behind PRI, I was able to start implementing PRI programs in the clinic. In the independent study set up, I was always able to address any questions or problems I might have had with Dr. Tidswell.” - Bryan Erspamer, ATC

“I would strongly recommend the independent study PRI home study course to other graduate students. Taking this course alongside my classmates has created a collaborative learning experience that extends beyond the classroom. Throughout the semester, my classmates and I would meet in the clinic to either talk through questions we had from the course, or practice the special tests and exercises we learned during class time. I think the best part of taking this course as an independent study was that even once the class ended, a sort of PRI culture was created amongst the students who took the class. We all still make a point to check in with one another to discuss how we are applying the material and how we might be able to improve the way we utilize the concepts with our patients. We also have an online group where we share research, videos, and other useful material related to PRI. The independent study PRI home study course has fostered an environment of continuous learning and has changed the way we treat our patients.” - Chris Michaels, LAT, ATC

“I have no hesitation recommending a home study course to other graduate students. In my experience, newly certified athletic trainers have a limited number of tools in their toolbox to address overuse injuries and dysfunctional movement. This course not only helped me deepen my knowledge of pelvic anatomy, but also how imbalances in the core and pelvis reflect through the kinetic chain.” - Julia Villani, ATC

A big thank you to Ron, Joe, Mike and all the gang at the Tampa Bay Rays organization for being such generous hosts this weekend. Tropicana Field was a great place to hold the PRI Integration for Baseball course and it was great to be in the company of such great people with a passion for learning and practical application.

Allen and I taught phases of normal human gait during the introduction and then applied these gait principles to the art of understanding pitching and hitting mechanics for the rest of the course. The slow motion video really helped attendees analyze what is expected for both a right-handed player and a left-handed player during Stride to Cocking phases and also Acceleration to Follow-through phases. It was refreshing for the group to note the similarities between body requirements for pitching and body requirements for hitting, right down to scapular, humeral, forearm and wrist performance.

Allen again did a fantastic job helping the group understand how alternating reciprocal arm movement in three planes drives alternating reciprocal thorax and rib cage movement for baseball performance. The group was able to take what they already understand about pitching and hitting mechanics and expand upon it as they analyzed dynamic rib cage and thorax posture. It was great to see a group of baseball and movement professionals get excited about looking at throwing and hitting mechanics through a different lens. Pun intended Heidi!

James and I had the opportunity to take our first round of pictures recently for the PRI® Fitness and Movement Course. Special thanks to Ryan Holleman and Rob Murphy for their assistance and hospitality. Go Wolfpack!

Our model, Matt, presented in a typical pattern which affects axial skeleton movement and proximal stability (Left AIC, bilateral BC, superior T4). We were able to reconfigure his thorax shape, diaphragm and air flow patterns with about 15 minutes of manual techniques to inhibit polyarticular chains of muscles which were dominant, then we strategically sequenced movement variability with a PRI® principle based workout. No formal correctives or rehab exercises were done. Our workout included modified RDLs, Beckman step ups, back squats, goblet squats, use of various Hammer Strength machines and much more. After nearly 4.5 hours of exercises, we retested Matt and not only did he remain neutral in all three planes both across his pelvic girdle and shoulder girdle, he tested better and was surprised at how good he felt (we did not test during the workout, only post).

Pre workout: HGIR right 38, left 70. Horz abd right 20, left 10. Add drop right -, left +. Pass FA abd right +, left -. SLR right 75, left 65.

Post workout: HGIR right 90, left 90. Horz abd right 55, left 60. Add drop right -, left -. Pass FA abd right -, left -. SLR right 85, left 85.

To learn what we did, we hope to see you at our PRI® Fitness and Movement course this October. Space is limited, so please do not wait to sign up! We are confident PRCs and PRTs will enjoy perspectives presented in this course, as well as new attendees to the PRI® science. Come ready to learn and we will be ready to share some great information! Hope to see you there!

"Femoroacetabular impingement: Mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment options using Postural Restoration. Part 2" written by Jason Masek, PT, ATC, CSCS, PRC has been published in SportEx. For more information or to purchase a copy of the article, please visit www.sportex.net. To receive 20% off your purchase of the article, you can use the coupon code: 20AUTHOR. Part 3 of this three part series will likely be published in October.

Two weeks ago, we travelled to St. Louis, MO for the 66th Annual NATA Clinical Symposia & Expo. Matt and I had a great time meeting nearly 600 Athletic Trainers at our PRI booth. There is a lot of excitement for PRI in the Athletic Training field, especially having Evidence Based Practice (EBP) CEUs for Myokinematic Restoration, and more courses to come!

I also had the opportunity to present at this conference for the first time. The topic of my presentation, "The Influence of Pelvis Position on Hamstring Injuries: To Stretch or To Strengthen" drew around 450 people into the room, with standing room only. For those who were unable to get into my presentation, they will have the opportunity to listen to it on the NATA Online CEU Center in the near future. I have also attached my presentation handouts HERE!

Dan Houglum, MSPT, ATC/L, PRC also presented at this year's conference. The title of Dan's presentation was "Asymmetrical Posture and Common Pain Related Syndromes". He also had a nearly full room, with Athletic Trainer's eager to learn more about PRI. Dan is also willing to share his presentation handouts, which I have attached HERE!